New Year’s takes on a whole new meaning when celebrated with children, especially ones with Learning Differences.

Try these tips for a stress free New Year’s!

Schedule an age appropriate time to celebrate New Year’s!

Many kids won’t make it to the 12 o’clock ball drop, so set the clock back a couple of hours. This way you can celebrate with them, put them to bed at their regular bed time and celebrate with your adult friends for the rest of the night.

Replace making a New Year’s resolution with making New Year’s reflections!

Have your children make a list of all the accomplishments they have made instead of making a list of goals that might make them feel anxious about achieving. Reflecting on the growth they have made will encourage them to grow more. This is a good practice for all of us!

Make a New Year’s resolution as a family and post it on the fridge.

If you decide you do want to make a New Year’s resolution, make one as a family and post it on the fridge!

Create a family time capsule.

Find a coffee can or plastic bin and ask your children to choose a couple of items that remind them of the last year. Put all the idioms in a waterproof container and bury it in the garden. If you don’t have a garden or it is frozen over, hide the time capsule in the coat closet or crawl space. Next year on New Year’s Eve open it and relive some wonderful memories!

Create a Memory Jar.

A memory jar is a jar or container where you store all the happy, fun accomplishments and events that have happened throughout the year. Schedule a time each day, week, or month where everyone that is participating writes down a memory on a piece of paper. Put the papers into the jar. Next year on New Year’s Eve, you can look back on all the great things from the year. This is an activity that the whole family can enjoy together from making the jar, to making the memories!